It's Kirron Kher now playing a a negative role in the tele-soap "Prratima" on Sahara One

Kirron Kher as Sunanda in the tele-serial "Prratima"

SHE HAS no hourglass figure, yet she makes heads turn. Because she is Kirron Kher. The versatile actress is blessed with talent that cuts both ways, be it a sati-savitri role or that of a vamp. For that matter, this Kher is like water.

Takes the shape of the vessel (read role) that she is decanted into. Having done many powerful roles, be it in Sardari Begum, the National Award winning Bariwali, Devdas, Darmiyan and most recently, the Pakistani Khamosh Pani, or comic ones as in Hum Tum, Kirron has a rich oeuvre.

Negative role

But, one can't count too many negative roles that she has played. And, that is why it sounds like a `she too' type of reaction when you find her playing the role of Sunanda in the tele-serial Prratima on Sahara One.

"But I am looking at it as just another role. Also, it is the main role of the serial. So, why refuse it. Besides, I am close to the producer's family," says Kirron. Produced by Raana Mukerji, better known as actress Rani Mukerji's brother, the serial also has Raana's wife Jyoti playing the title role of Prratima. Based on Tara Shankar Bandopadhyay's novel "Protima", it is the tale of a daughter-in-law chosen by her father-in-law against his wife's wishes for his son. And in terms of today's serials, it clearly becomes a saas-bahu tangle.

"Saas-bahu has been an age-old base for many powerful stories. But it is not the typical ones we usually get to see on TV," she comments. Though theatre has been her backbone, the spotlight fell on her soon after she appeared on television some years ago.

The last we saw of her on the tube before Prratima was on Zee TV's Dil Na Jaane Kyon. But it was as the host of the talk show on Zee TV Purush Kshetra that she came to be really noticed. "It did work well. We touched upon many issues not generally discussed in a patriarchal society," she says.

Even on television, she has quite an opus by now in terms of good work, be it in Isi Bahane, Jaagte Raho, Chausath Panne and Kiron Kher Today.

In ER too

Crossing continents, she even featured last October in the well-known English TV medical saga ER written by famous writer Michael Crichton.

"TV serials actually give you good money. Also, the producers are ready to adjust the timings with my film shoots. So, it makes things easier," Kirron says in that familiar husky tone with that big, broad grin.